Artichoke-trimmer



R. W. CLINEl ARTICHOKE TRIMMER. AP'P L|cAT|oN FILED Am. 23. 192| Patented Nov. 1, 1921,

FIG-JRE 2 FIGURE 5 FIGURE Z NVENTQR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.k

ROBERT W. CLINE, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FLOYD S.

v Y MOORE, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

ARTICHOKE-TRIMMER.

To all 'wiom it, may', concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT W. CLINE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of San Jose, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, Vhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artichoke- Trimmers of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to a knife for trimming artichokes, and also to the mechanism coperating therewith.

In preparing artichokes for canning it is customary to cut the leaves from the base of the artichoke by manual labor, then to trim the said base portion to vimpart to it the required form and finish,'and finally to cut to the desired length by removing the stem portion and likewisev a portionV of the opposite end.

Itis the obj ect of my invention to provide a knife'of such a form and so mounted and manipulated that the leaves may be removed from the base portion of an artichoke and the said base portion properly shaped and finished in one operation.

In the drawing: 0

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an artichoke partly in its natural state and partly trimmed and finished.

Fig 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through my improved artichoke trimmer, the removed part of the knife being indi- "`cated by dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the trimming knife.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same..

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the trimming knife reversed as to that shown in Fig. 2, parts of the holder being broken away.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 indicates ay tubular member open at one end as 2 `and closedV at end 3 and revolubly mounted in bearings 4, the same be Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

Application led `February 23, 1921. Serial No. 447,207.

vided with a flat portion 9 on' its extended end as shown and for the purpose hereinafter described, and this fiat portion has a slot 10 formed therein to engage a pin 11 set in member 1 as shown. By'this construction the member 6 may be forced 1nwardly against spring 8 and outwardly by said spring but is at the same time revolved with said members.

Mounted on member 1 is a collar 12 provided with a groove 13 to engage the shank 14 of the cutting knife 15 which is secured thereto by pin 16, the pin l11 also passing through the shank 14 and assisting in holding the knife. rigidly in position. The cutting edge 17 of the blade 18 of knife 15 begins at a point approaching but not contacting with the flat portion 9 on member 6 as shown at 19 and passes upwardly, out` wardly and forwardly as at 21, and thence curves downwardly, outwardly and forwardly as at 22, thereby forming a portion of a somewhat regular spiral to a point 23. The rear edge 24 of the blade 18 curves from the base portion 19 outwardly, forwardly and downwardly as at 25, to a point 23 so that the blade 18 presents a flat angularly arranged and tapering under surface 26. The point of the blade is turned outwardly at substantially right angles to the surface 26 as shown at 27.

When the knife is mounted and the parts operated as described the stem of the artichoke 30 is inserted in the end 7 of member 6 and pressure is applied thereto to force member 6 inwardly against spring 8. Since member 6 is flattened as at 9 and the base portion- 19 of the cutting edge of the knife is contiguous thereto, when the member 6 is so far retracted as to bring the base of the artichoke in contact with the edge 17 of the knife the said edge begins to cut the artichoke at the very base of the lowest leaves close up to the stem of the said artichoke. The curvature of the blade 18 as above described is such that as the artichoke is pressed thereagainst and held against revolving, the lower leaves of the artichoke are cut off at their bases and the knife cuts and forms the base of the artichoke as shown at 28, the outwardly turned point 27 of blade 18 cutting a neat shoulder on the artichoke as at 29. After the base leaves are trimmed away as above described the two ends are cut ofi' as at 31 and 32 and the artichoke is ready for canning.

vIt is to be understood that the embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is to be considered as illustrative only, and that changes in form, construction n and method of operation may be made withto form a tapering angular surface on SaidA blade. i

9.. An artichoke trimmer including a sup- Y portfor the ystem endiof an articho-ke, and

a blade having a cutting edge extending spirally forward from said Support and terminating in a point extending outwardly at an angle to the curve of said cutting edge. Y Y Y 3. An artichoke trimmer including a supd porting member adapted to receive the stem portion of an artlchoke, and a blade having Va c :utting` edge extending spirally forward and outward from apoint adjacent to the stem receiving portion of said supporting member.

4. An articholre trimmer comprising a revoluble blade.supportingmember and an lartichoke supporting member slidably yand resiliently mounted ywith relation thereto and revoluble therewith, and having a flattened, surface formed thereon, and a blade rigidly mounted on Said first mentioned member and having acuttingedge extending from a point adjacent the flattened Surface on said second mentioned member outwardly and forwardly a 'distance in a spiral curve. K

5. In an articholre-trimmer a blade-support, a blade mounted thereon having a cuttingY edge extending forwardly, upwardly and outwardly and thence forwardly, downwardly and outwardly-therefrom, and a rear edge curving from said support outwardly, forwardly and .downwardly :tof join .the outer end of Said euttingfedgeiwhereby to forma tapering angular underv surface on sad blade,"the point of the blade at the junction ofV saidedges being .turned outwardly `at substantially right angles tosaid. Surface.

6. An artiehoke trimmer includingv a" blade having a f cutting edge forming a compound forwardly and outwardly extend-l ing curve, and havinga rearwardly entendiing lower surface arranged at Vfananglerto thempath of't'ravel ofsaid cuttin edge.

Y ROBERT W.. LINE.;` 

